Guest view of Frank Walker and Henry Hatter: The Republican Party and the African-American community

The following is a guest view co-written by Frank Walker and Henry Hatter.

In 2012, the Republican Party is resolved to pursue the Black vote as a previously untapped opportunity. The Platform speaks to building healthy families, restoring great schools, establishing safe neighborhoods, and creating the atmosphere for millions of new jobs; all priorities in the African-American community.

Here are snapshots of two recent comparable economic recovery periods:

1981 to 1984 – Began with 7.5% unemployment - President Ronald Reagan, with heavy reliance on growing the private sector, decreased tax rates to grow the private economy, and therefore increased tax revenue.

Average annual economic growth (GDP) over these four years was 9.01%

2009 to 2012 – Began with 7.8% unemployment – President Barack Obama, with heavy reliance on growing the government sector, borrowed money, much from China and the Middle East, to provide government stimulus for chosen job providers, often picking losers while driving successful businesses out of business.

Average annual economic growth (GDP) over these four years was only 2.12%

African-Americans have been the hardest hit group in America by the Obama economy. African-Americans have lost 40% of their wealth, and 11% of their income under President Obama.

More than 15% of blacks vs. 8% of non-blacks are unemployed and the spread has increased rather than decreased in the past 4 years. The numbers are much worse for young black males, whose unemployment is 27%.

In recent years, the Democratic Party has shamefully taken for granted African-American voters. Democratic Party positions which often differ from traditional values of African-Americans and the social norms of mainstream American people are:

• An attack on the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman

• An attack on the unborn (the most defenseless of God’s creation) through the support of abortion

• Proposing the removal of “God” from their party platform

• Preventing school choice for students who are locked into inferior school systems

• Punishing success in the private sector through verbal attacks and excessive taxation

Democrats have not passed a national budget since Obama became president. More than one trillion dollars in new government debt each year is not sustainable, bringing the current national debt to over 16 trillion dollars.

This is a shameful legacy to leave for our children and grandchildren to bear, and amounts to over $53,000 for every man, woman, and child in the USA. But more than that, uncontrolled debt for an individual or for a nation puts the debtor at the mercy of the creditors, as the Bible tells us.

The freedom to start a new business and to keep money you earn is the economic engine that has made America the envy of the world. Because of taxes and regulations, the number of small business startups has plummeted, and current businesses are not hiring as they struggle to survive.

There is too much uncertainty. There are 21 new taxes affecting everyone, coming with “affordable health care”. These taxes are likely to drive many more businesses to close, destroying millions more jobs.

What is needed? More fiscal accountability, less regulations which frequently end up with unintended consequences, less tax burden, and more freedom to start new businesses and expand current businesses.

Grow the economy, create more jobs.

Republicans, and Governor Romney in particular, are asking Blacks to join in putting previously tried effective solutions into practice.

There are many African-American Republicans who are role models in their respective areas of influence: Condoleezza Rice, Clarence Thomas, Michael Steel, Star Parker, Alan West, Mia Love, JC Watts, Bishop E. W. Jackson, Thomas Sowell, to name a few.

Martin Luther King was a Republican. Many African-Americans have said that: “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me”.

There is a choice in the 2012 election on November 6. Will we choose to apply common sense limitations on government growth and increase the freedom to grow our jobs-producing private economy as President Reagan did?

This is the agenda spelled out by the Mitt Romney-Paul Ryan team who have proven themselves in both the private and the public sectors. President Obama has mysteriously not told us of his agenda.

Every person is a valued individual, and the right to vote and have it counted is one of our most precious rights as an American. Our precious freedom and our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are God given.

In this election we will choose which of two drastically different paths we will follow. We need to lock arms, all races and creeds, to overcome the current problems which face us in the areas of business, education, domestic policy, and foreign policy.

Frank walker is retired from General Motors and is currently president of Hydraulic Innovations LLC., and Henry Hatter is active in the Clio community and is an honorary member of the executive committee of the Genesee County Republican Party.